Cricket: Purton v Marlborough – Marlborough battle to a 3-run victory away at Purton

Match Report

West Of England Premier League (Wilts Division)

Purton v Marlborough   6th August 2016

Marlborough 155 all out;  Purton 152 all out

Marlborough won by 3 runs

 

Marlborough Cricket Club Saturday 1st XI 155 for 10 beat Purton CC 1st X1 152 for 10

Marlborough CC 1st XI travelled to Purton looking to bounce back from the previous week’s defeat to Westbury.  Stand-in captain Nick Crabbe won the toss and was happy to bat first on a typically good Purton wicket.

He wasn’t so happy an hour later when the top order had been blown away by the rampant Purton skipper Lee, who took four quick wickets to leave Marlborough in tatters at 22-5 after 11 overs.

Former MCC skipper Arran Dickinson and up-and-coming batsman Josh Bates set about repairing the damage with a useful partnership of 33 before Bates was caught for 14.  Dickinson continued to bat fluently until he bowled by the leg spinner for a well compiled 36.  Will Langton (28) and Paul Smith then put together a match changing partnership of 55 which swung the momentum the way of the visitors.

Purton heads went down as the pair batted positively, regularly finding the boundary.  Smith looked particularly fluent for his run-a-ball 37 and looked set for a maiden 1st team fifty until he was bowled by Woolford. Once he and Langton were dismissed, Joe Arkwright quickly followed and the Marlborough innings ended on 155.

After tea, the golden arm of Will Langton (3-13) struck as he dismissed Purton’s two most dangerous batsmen, Xander Pitchers and Tom Bowler.  He quickly followed that up with the wicket of last week’s centurion Whittaker, thanks to a smart catch by Homani.  Mohan Balusu then removed Ramani to leave Purton reeling at 32-4.

Hill and Woolford then began to repair the Purton innings and both looked set to win the game when Hill, having hit a six the previous ball, tried to repeat the feat and only managed to pick out the safe hands of James Richardson on the mid-wicket boundary who held a crucial low catch off the bowling off the ever reliable Smith.

Balusu (2-36) then returned to bowl his final two overs and picked up the crucial wicket of Woolford, who was bowled through the gate to reduce Purton to 115-7.

At drinks Joe Arkwright had taken over the keeping duties from Homani as more overs of spin were required.  Once Harrison Painter’s tidy spell had finished (1 for 44) Homani kept up the pressure by bowling an immaculate length which the Purton batsmen were unable to come to terms with. The squeeze applied by Homani (2-19) and Smith (2-29) told and Purton subsided to 152 all out giving Marlborough a hard fought victory by 3 runs.  The final wicket falling to Homani thanks to a sharp catch by Arkwight.